Walkabout Thoughts #13

My thoughts, while walking off long Covid and listening to podcasts...a blog designed and meant to be freely associating, on the run, and not perfectly edited:

Weather for the day… 47° 99% humidity overcast.

Podcast for the day is Rachel Maddow‘s "Ultra" podcast episode four

Instagram post for the day and second post.

I'm a little late posting this blog as I walked a few days ago...then this happened:

I just heard that Patrick Haggerty has passed away last night. Life long friend of my friend and cartoonist, Pat Moriarity. Haggerty was a founder of Lavender Country, who put out the first known gay-themed album in country music history. His band started back when I was in high school in the early 1972. I only met him a few years ago through Pat. Tonight is Pat's and his Son Jack's annual "Sausage Fest" party (sausage referring to a BBQ event with live music). Patrick was at previous years' events. I last saw him not long too ago and he looked healthy. He was always a pleasant and happy guy. Tonight's event will be a little less, without him. 

We will all miss him. 

Pat Moriarity with the late Patrick Haggerty

Rachel Maddow’s podcast, "Ultra", points out painfully clearly, exactly what and why Donald Trump has been dividing America as he has been. It’s all about taking control, authoritarianism, money, power and glorification of one person in a populist society. And there’s nothing good about it. As in 1940s Republicans they are trying to do it all over again. They’ve now become trapped by it. Just as they were in the 1940s.

Second podcast for the day is Pod Save America: “Fetterman vs The Phony Sociopath.”

Just to reiterate what they just said at the beginning of the Pod Save America podcast about the Oz and Fetterman debate, the media did not do its job in explaining to the public about stroke recovery. The moderators explained at the beginning about Fetterman using a teleprompter to better understand questions, they should have explained more about the process of healing from a stroke. They dropped the ball. Just because he’s having some issues right now, generally speaking people heal from this and their mental processes are not impaired. I agree with the podcast that this was gross negligence on the part of the media in days after the debate, if not just the commentators at the debate.

All the doctors that were interviewed about Fetterman's stroke said that he was being very normal in stroke recovery, he didn’t peer to be impaired mentally, and actually, considering when the stroke happened, he's doing better than most people would. That’s kind of an important thing to know. When you have an issue with your neuronal brain pathways, the brain is very plastic in the ability to build new pathways, but it takes a little time. Which in this case has nothing to do again, with mental processes, just some communication issues. Which for the most part, isn't an issue. When you consider some of the Congressional Republicans who don't have issues like this having happened to THEM, but they still sound on the Senate floor like they are mentally deranged or damaged, I just don't see this as an issue of any substance. Certainly not by comparison. 

Another good point from the podcast, if you take someone who broke their leg who has to then, weeks after that, go up against a professional runner, is that gonna look like a questionable candidate at that point? Yes. But as the Bone mends will he then be able to run at the level he could before, as many people do? It’s just the process of healing and physiotherapy in the case of a broken leg. All of which Fetterman is doing toward getting back to his optimal level. I'd take him even as suboptimal in comparison to someone like Oz.

It should also be mentioned that Fetterman has some big brass balls going for that debate. Ask yourself how many Republicans would’ve backed out? Quite a few.

As for “Doctor” Oz, it’s been put in the record by other scientist at the University he was kicked out of, that he has a “disdain for science and evidence based medicine.” Oz has made millions off of other people's suffering.

They also have a good point about the Democratic strategists who gave quotes and how they’re worried about Fetterman. And their comments about this in the podcast are true. Republicans don’t do this kind of wimpy shit. Especially when they should say something, but they wont because it's party first, over America. Their career first, over American citizens. Their money and power first, over the US Constitution. And no, I don’t want Democrats doing that. But they should have some rational cohesion and perspective. It’s like Republicans don’t have the compassion. At least not in their political and career fields. While Democrats do. Which is why they tend to buckle sometimes and fear looking bad. They care. Republicans just don't. Real Republicans still do. But there's fewer of those every day as they abandon their party or retire from politics. Forced out by the Gran Stupid. Everyone should fear looking bad if you’re doing the wrong thing. But when you want to believe you’re doing the right thing in  doing the wrong thing? Fuck me, people. Good grief…

Just to mention something about the process of walking to get in and maintain physical conditioning and health... Today it’s been a week tomorrow since I’ve gone for a 5 mile walk. I really wanted to go for a walk today, weather is amenable, so I am. But when I got out here, it was really hard to get started. I did my first mile and I wanted to give up. I did my second, and I really wanted to give up. But as I’ve seen before, when this happens, if I can get that 1st mile or two, or three, down, it gets easier. But if I give up because it’s so uncomfortable, then I gave up and I don’t achieve anything. Obviously one or two, or 3 miles is better than none. But going the limit to actually achieve your goal, really is important in so many ways.

Let’s consider what Dr. Oz said about abortion and how it should include a woman, her doctor, and her... local political officials(?). What you’re describing is a Soviet Union kind of State. They had political officers who could wreck your life and career. They could end you up in a Gulag in Siberia for some really stupid shit. "Mind Police", stuff. That is what Dr. Oz and this Republican party under Trump's America are proposing we be turned into.

Speaking of hypocrisy, if abortion is murder as Dr. Oz has said, what Republicans purposely are pushing out is anger to build into violence for the Trump MAGA effort. We will honestly never know how many have already died from that because, that connection wasn’t made. Or that connection was made, even by the police, but the attacker wasn’t found. Or they were found, but it wasn’t covered in the media. When we see how unprotected our congressional Democrats are because, they’re not given protection unless their in the leadership, or under very specific threats... While this threat to many of them. If not all of them nowadays, as a general threat and one that can come to a head very quickly to end in pain or death of one of our congressional or government Democratic leaders. If not also a threat to their families, who have been consistently threatened. Who threatens a 12 year old girl, or a five year old boy? MAGA Republicans do and are. How is that being on the right side of anything? And just to mention speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi‘s husband Paul. Someone actually broke into his house and attacked him with a hammer so he had to have surgery and could’ve died, but apparently his going to do OK. But this shouldn't have happened. This should have evoked outrage from the entire Republican party. But all we heard were very few making comments. And why? Because deep down they fear it happening to them. Or if Democrats finally ever have enough of this Republican nonsense and were to turn the tides, it could be them next. This has to stop. All should speak out on this. All. Everyone. Stop tearing America apart. And, for what? Not what those who are doing this, think. It is beliefs in the Netherworld, that doesn't even exist.

It kind of boils down to this, if you want America to be a theocracy, ban abortion. That’s step one. Even in Ireland, abortion is legal. Ireland! America needs to get this shit together. We need a secular government. Because only that will allow theists to have the religion they want. But personally, NOT by government decree! Forcing us into their religious beliefs and into our government, never ends well.

Let's be clear about Trump's, Truth Social. Those aren’t “truths“ being “tweeted“ on there. Since he and the MAGA and Republican have turned reality around... to be accurate, they're “tweeting“, “UnTruths “. Or "MisTruths". Or, "DisTruths". But sure as hell not "Truths".

Back to Fetterman, there’s a lot of people who’ve loved him for a long time, who voted for him before, and will vote for him again. Whose comments on the debate were, yeah he had difficulty speaking, or answering questions. But he got out what I wanted to hear, and it’s still him and what he believes in, and what we know he’ll fight for. That is why I am still for him and would still vote for him. But, I haven't lived in Philly since I was a kid. But I still have an affinity for the state, as well as other's I've lived in like NY & NJ.

I just started my 4th mile. I’m feeling better than my second and 3rd mile starting out. I still just want to go home. As of right now, I know I’ll make my 4th mile. And then I just have to get started on the fifth. and last mile.

I just shot my Instagram post for the day. And I mentioned about my book “Suffering Long Covid“. Which just went live in the e-book in book format on Amazon yesterday. That was a lot of work. It was hard to do. When I started it there was still a lot of brain fog from long Covid. Although I’m still not over it, I am feeling better, as long as I keep exercising. Yesterday, I got my flu shot and a tetanus shot. They were out of the pneumonia shot and I’ll have to go back next week, when they get more in. Good times! Never say die, never give up!

Republicans hatred of Nancy Pelosi is bizarre. How is that right in any way shape or form? How? What if someone didn’t like your job and someone went to your house and killed your family? How does that make sense.? America, you got to get your shit together. You don’t attack people's families for what they do for a living. You don’t attack people in government for doing their job. We’ve built a country to be nonviolent. I know 20 years of war and decades of violent movies haven’t helped. But we have a choice. Resolve things through litigation and elections in politics. Or constantly be going to war against one another. And if you choose the latter, you’re really, REALLY stupid. If you take offense to be called stupid, then really look at what I just wrote above, and think about what your position is. And if you can’t see what I’m saying here, stupid may just be the definition you’ve selected to be.

We need to decide. Are we pro-truth, pro-democracy? Or are we pro-autocratic propaganda and pro-pseudo-theocracy to be wielded against us for the power of the few and the elite who many of you think you’re against in loving someone like Donald Trump and his cadre of wannabes? This bizarre MAGA logic is warped when placed up against the light of reality.

For those who buy into the MAGA bullshit. Do what I did when Trump was running for president. And I did again after he took office. Pick out your top 10 political favorite items. Then really go out and dig into if they’re true or not. Avoid your little bubbles of "I like this information" to find whatever it may actually be. And really dig into substantiated facts. Or just take five. What I found out myself was about nine out of 10 things I believed were true turned out to be true. While one wasn’t true and one was half true, or actually maybe a couple were half true. But doing that changed my mind a little bit. I saw some of the other side's point of view a little bit better. If I find something is true I don’t wanna believe in it, and the other side's right...yes, I will change my mind. The trouble is, I suspect for people who say they have done that, and  yet still believe things that aren’t true, that they’re not very good at research or vetting their information. They just think they are. I've met so many people like that. On both sides, actually. It’s either that, or they've bought into a cult-like mentality. And whenever that happens? Nothing will convince them, no matter how true or provable something is. Sadly, that’s where we are with far too many people. The only reason we had an insurrection on January 6, 2021, inspired by a pathetic, failed president who was about to leave office, but couldn't bring his ego to let go. THAT's who people want to follow? Wow, unbelievable, truly.

About the paragraph above. If you wonder why my number of 10 items I believed were true remained so high after double checking on them, that’s not proof I have a cult-like mentality, too. I’m actually just very careful about things I believe in because of my past, my history, and my education. Which was not only very good, but I worked at it harder than anyone I knew back in college at that time. And that’s the thing. If you’re careful about your initial beliefs and update them and correct them, no matter what you feel, or how bad it makes you feel if you’re wrong...do it. Then when you vet that information you’ll find that you’re right on a lot of things. And not “right“ just on things that the Right wishes to believe and in against all odds, reality, proof and evidence.

I’ve made this clear many times so I’ll do it again… For what he’s done and what it is going to do to America, I fully believe Donald Trump should be indicted, should be tried, should quite obviously be judged guilty, and should be quickly executed. I do not actually believe in capital punishment. I do not think the state should be killing its citizens. But I do think there are times where someone needs to be destroyed. But very, very few times. Someone killing one person, isn’t enough. Killing many, as a serial killer may not be enough. But it could be, it depends on the case, on the individual. But when you affect things that are on national and international levels… When you have obviously gotten citizens killed as a leader, a national leader, then you deserve our highest punishment. And when you’re someone like Donald Trump who can’t keep his mouth shut, who spawns sedition and insurrection, and doesn’t know how to say things that are truthful or good for the nation or humanity at large, well, then you destroy things like that. For the sake of the Nation and humanity.

And with that downer paragraph or two out of the way… I’m starting my fifth mile somehow. I feel good enough to do it, though I’m beat the hell and I don’t wanna do it. Although I kinda do. My left ankle which I’ve had problems with this summer is starting to ache, even with the support sleeve on it. But I think I can make this last mile so I’m going for it...

One of my kids and spouse and puppy came over last night. Did some sound engineering on my video desktop workstation and then played some Fallout New Vegas on their Xbox. As I was telling my other son yesterday, I have played games so little because a long Covid this year, that I felt like playing video games just wasn’t warranted. So I have now written and published one book on long Covid. I’m starting another book (which is already mostly written, on my documentary, “Pvt. Ravel‘s Bolero“. About its history, how it came to be and what all it means as a filmic poem. After that, I’ve got a finish creating the DVD for that movie. Which is also mostly done. And then, I might go back to finish up Fallout Four, which I’ve got some 700+ hours into, from over the past two years of healing from long Covid. Last night, watching them play Fallout New Vegas, it give me the urge to want to waste some more time playing a video game again. I take that as a good sign. Healing up from a long nightmare. I’m playing now near the end of the game and I just need to make one final decision and then go for it. And then maybe back into the beginning of Skyrim.

Right now they’re interviewing someone on the podcast about elections and election workers. And she says, people have a lot to do with our election now and are interested. And even some high school seniors and juniors are involved because they’re worried about their future. And it occurred to me that over the course of history Humankind has physically pushed adulthood into older ages and as we’ve become more intellectual and knowledgeable, kids are intellectually becoming adults sooner. But we’re still limited by factors such as when our brain physically finishes developing and how we still don’t know that much experientially speaking, until we get enough experience out in the real world and on her own. So we’ve gone from marrying kids off to making them wait until they’re 18, except in some southern states out there. But we lowered the voting age to 18 because kids could handle it. A draft is set at 18. And as this politician on the podcast just mentioned, kids in high school are much more motivated about politics now, because they’re very aware of the world anymore. Albeit I'd argue, a bit too superficially, far too much of the time. We’ve seen that before though, in the 1960s. But I suspect, this is a lot more dire situation.

Now about physical conditioning… I think what I’m experiencing is months or even weeks ago, had I missed a day, it was hard to get back to my base mileage, which was 3 miles for a while. This is taking a lot out of me today to do 5 miles, after a week off. But I think my conditioning has gotten to the point where I could possibly do this once a week. And after a little while, it won't be taking so much out of me to do that. Which is all good news overall. (Note from later...Yeah, I'm hurting, so many for a while (or forever) I'll need to exercise more frequently, unlike when I was younger...nuts)

I know we vote for whoever we want and we put them in the House or the Senate in Congress in Washington DC. But I really think we need some kind of standards. If the past few years has taught us anything, it’s that some people should never be anywhere near our government. Just like where you think it’s your second amendment right or not, some people should never have ownership of a gun and sure as hell shouldn’t be allowed to open carry it and most especially, some shouldn’t ever be able to conceal carry. Not to mention SCOTUS in 1886 made it very clear that the Second Amendment had nothing to do with private militias in that they’re unconstitutional. To wit: ""§ 5. It shall not be lawful for any body of men whatever other than the regular organized volunteer militia of this state and the troops of the United States to associate themselves together as a military company or organization, or to drill or parade with arms in any city or town of this state without the license of the Governor thereof, which license may at any time be revoked..." But that’s another mess altogether…

OK! Hey there is a fawn up ahead about half a block for my second Instagram shot of the day! Cool. Two fawns. And a deer! :) 

Cheers! Sláinte!

We Need to be Smarter in America

First of, let me say I hope everyone is doing well during this global pandemic. Leadership in something like this, something somewhat unprecedented for this generation, is always going to be difficult.

Some do better than others, some countires having a tough time of it than others. But being smart about it, learning, going to your best minds and information, will ALWAYS win out over the opposite end of the spectrum.

All the best to all of you and everyone, everywhere! Moving on...

First up, this just in...today, after this blog went live, I did a Kelly Hughes podcast. Now also on Apple. It ended up being about the production of my new film, "Gumdrop", a short horror. He has others that are all actually pretty interesting. He has two, a podcast on cult figures and indie filmmaking. Our last podcast together was a fun with about one of our favorite actors, Steve Buscemi.

So, if you're looking for something different and especially if you're into indie filmmaking...well, there you go!

Also, if you're into ebooks, all my ebooks on Smashwords are free for the next couple of weeks in their sale, asked for by the authors because of the coronavirus situation. Many good authors on there besides myself are offering their books at a discount, or free.

Moving along now...

I graduated from Western Washington University in 1984 with my second degree, one in Psychology in the Awareness and Reasoning Division of that department. Realizing I could have gotten yet another degree, I went instead with just getting a minor in creative writing. That ended up going into fiction writing, screenplays and team scriptwriting (an amazing series of classes I was chosen for along with seven incredible other theatre department students, from our Playwriting 101 class).

Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

I learned there that what I had been doing all my life and in college was pursuing life as an "intellectual". ALL that really means is that my focus in life was to exercise my mind in the most effective and efficient ways possible and seeking the best available information, updating it always.

Please bear with me, because this is not going to end up where you may think it is, from where it is starting. I'm trying to lay down a very important point. And you may find something useful unrelated to the primary reason for this blog today.

Once I found the label for what I was, I owned it. I was proud of it. And rightly so. As anyone like that should. Do you see football players going around hiding their chosen orientation or professional in life? No. Typically they are praised for it. Not always the same for those in the Arts or intellectual fields.

I've come to learn there isn't a lot of awareness and reasoning in America. Our current president Donald Trump is a case in point. But this is not a new thing. I was surprised while at my university, to discover just how much that was true in those outside of higher education. Also, just how many viewed an educated mind with suspicion. I was at times, stunned by it.

I knew that was true of my family as my parents, who weren't highly educated. I was the first to get a college degree. My mother had a sharp mind, but it was unfocused and to be sure she had some emotional issues.

Although a few after I graduated had great respect for someone with a higher education, I was very surprised at how many people (or any, as I saw it) outside that protected life at university, looked down on those who had a higher education and could think to an exceptional degree and depth.

And I literally have a degree in that.

After decades of considering all that, I began to say that "Ignorance, is noble."

We are all ignorant of something. Stupidity however has no nobility in itt. "Selective ignorance", as I understand stupidity, is not noble and should be seen as anathema. That seems to be a central tenet however of some political parties. Of the conservative GOP for one, or at least some of their more easily swayed, and apparently ignorant, believers. I tend to lean as many do, to a more enlightened party. Inclusive. Aware of exigencies in life, repercussions, and the future. These things do not seem to be of great consideration with Republicans. Here, now, profit does.

If you take offense to that, I suppose you may be one. That's fine. We're all people. Here, we're all Americans and that earns you something. By birth, or choice. I don't have anything against Republicans anymore than I'm not really a Democrat. I'm for the best idea, the best action, being better. I just don't see that much with Republicans. They can't seem to see the forest for the trees too often.

Look. I'm not offended by being called, ignorant. IF I am actually ignorant about something. I would then review to find if either they are the ignorant one and merely lashing out at me, ignorantly and immaturely (which I see a lot of anymore). Or I have to change my condition, my orientation, my view on whatever the topic at hand, is.

I don't have a problem when I met someone smarter than me, more educated. I actually find it kind of an honor to be allowed around them. Unless they are jerks about it, or just jerks period. Either way, I gleam from them whatever I can. And if they are decent people I offer them whatever I have to offer. I try to understand or learn the way they think. Is it better than mine? Cool! Awesome! Do they know things I don't? Even better.

Sometimes they already know most of what I know. Or they are so much smarter than me I can't really learn that much from them. It's another level beyond me. And that is also awesome. Because I met that person. Any action you have like that, betters you. But it's you doing the bettering.

I have some sayings I like. Even a village idiot has his story. Meaning you can learn from anyone. You can learn sitting in front of a blank wall. You can learn talking to your self. Try carrying on a debate or conversation with your self. Play both parts. I first tried that in junior high and was shocked to learn, I learned something.

Life is amazing, if you let it be. Be positive. Try to be around people better than you think you are. Don't let it increase your lack of self-esteem. Allow it to build it to reasonable and accurate levels. We have resources surrounding us daily. Most people don't' see or use most of them.

Can I think like a genius? Maybe not but then, good for them and I wish I could do what they can do. I sure as hell don't hold it against them, or feel bad because of them. It's a gift to meet a Van Gogh, an Einstein, an Aristotle, a Michio Kaku. But you don't have to meet a genius to be impressed or feel you've elevated yourself. It could be anyone, even people you know now.

I have repeatedly felt awed by my children, even when they were four years old. I learned from them. All it takes to self educate yourself is to start doing it. Pay attention, think of the connections, the relative issues and things involved with whatever you are thinking about. Stretch yourself. Expand your mind.

That's what that means. It's what being "Enlightened" is. When you eat an apple, you "see" the seeds inside, the store or tree you got it from. The box it was transported to the store in or perhaps the tree it came off half way around the planet.The people who picked it, the ground it grew in, the sun above it, that is the same sun now above you. And so on.

You don't have to see everything, you just have to try to. And when you hit a wall, find the next connection, the next associated route or pathway or thing, Strive, enhance, build, rebuild, add, synthesize, repeat. Alter. Combine. Invent.

When you are around a muscle builder, or a professional athlete, you may be able to learn knowledge from them, but you cannot gain their body and form through osmosis. The wondering things about thinking, how one things, methods or even tricks to increase brain horsepower...ANYONE can gain that through osmosis. That's how learning works. ,

Yet oddly enough, many people take a negative orientation to smarter people, the more educated.My grandmother had a lot to do with how I am today. She was self educated. Read the dictionary. Always said to try to be around people smarter than you, professionals.And I have, and I've been around a lot of them.

I would learn to end my ignorance. It's NOT that hard to do. Though apparently it is for some, for too many. For too many today, in this era of instant communication and a vast wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. It's a truly curious phenomenon. Apparently, on a daily basis we survey much, but only to a shallow degree.

I've discussed all this before. I used to say and to be proud of it, that I was an intellectual. I still ama and always will be, it's merely a definition I fit. Just as I am caucasian. Something I used to adamantly disagree with. "White"? Sure. Caucasian? No. My father was Irish, as were his parents, my grandparents, and so I am. I lean more to the Irish side of my heritage going back to my first months in high school

My mother was Czechoslovakian, as were her parents, and so I am. But :"Caucasian: means, from the Caucus Mountains, which are in eastern Europe. So one day I looked it up and to my surprise, yes indeed, I am Caucasian. The map dictated my reality. So I changed my long time orientation.And that is what an intellectual would do. So if you've done such a thing, you too many be an intellectual. However you have to live in that way, make that you life. Update.

What I see in the world around me today are people who retain their beliefs over and against realty. They would see the map and say, "I don't care, I'm not Caucasian!" They would rationalize around it so they could believe whatever it is they wish to believe.

That seems apparent and rampant in the Republican party of Donald Trump today. Trump isn't presidential material and they believe he is. Many were climate change deniers, then climate change by human means deniers. See how that progresses and rationalized as they find necessary?

Friends finally warned me years ago to stop saying I was an "intellectual". I rally was surprised by it. I was proud of it. I had worked really, really hard in college at it. I had earned the title, not even considering I had simply led me life like that since childhood. How would you like to be a football player with all the bangs and bruises and workouts and games only to be told you are being looked down on for it. It's a shock to the system. Violence is rewarded. Intellectuality, like sexuality in many cases, is not.

It's why historically we have seen so much violence in films but not sex to the same degree. And why there are more war films than films about intellectuals and artists.

That the basis of my entire life was taken wrong...I was shocked, frankly. I thought everyone should be an intellectual, at least to some degree. Doesn't that just make sense? But that was not the case and some are proud of being just the opposite.

So I stopped using that world. I saw it as merely saying, I'm into sports, or into movies and so I was cinephile. What's the big deal? Yet, some, too many, were offended by it? Weird. Right?

Look at it as a bodybuilder who exercises their body with all the same oriented at their physical form and health. It's no different, only for the mind. I wasn't elitist about it, I wasn't being superior, or lording over others with it. It was just my orientation and seemed to be the best way for me to exist.

But then, people do look down on bodybuilders, I guess and some on sports types, there there are a lot of sports types in this country. Following sports teams. Betting on games. Fantasy Football leagues. But I came to realize that in just exercising one's mind among others, they took it as lording over them. In sharing knowledge, it was seen as being superior, even when going to great lengths to avoid that.

I was very proud of what I had learned. NOT that I WAS learned. But that I had had, had taken, the opportunity to learn and achieve the level I had. And it took me four years in the USAF to get college paid for so I could get a four year degree in eight years, essentially. It was hard, and long work. To be sure the military work was physically demanding for me in my career field. I earned my position in life! As much as or more so than many.

I had believed it was a human being's highest goal, to be as smart and educated as possible. So pushing the limits with the most accurate, cutting edge info/knowledge made even more sense. Right? To achieve, Wisdom. Intellect combined with experience and knowledge. I worked hard at that, and for that.

Late nights at the library, studying not partying, talking to my professors after classes. Even getting to know them outside of school. Finally being told by my department advisor, my main professor that I was in the top 10% of the top 10% of all psychology students nationwide.

Something to be proud of, right/ Although, I found I had to hide that, keep it to myself. I honestly cannot remember if he said 2% or 10%. It feels like he said 2 but it seems like he might have said 10. So, best to err on the side of discretion and not eqo. Now, consider by comparison, if I were Donald Trump. Then I would have said the top 1%.. Or more accurately, "the number one student!" And then gone on more about it.

Then after I gradated, it did me little good in finding a job. Though eventually it paid off rather well.

After receiving my university degree, I discovered in public there was a trend against education. Maybe it had always been there, but I was now acutely aware of it. I heard terms, I now realize from conservatives, people I was not aware of yet back then, who "joked" about things that don't exist. Like how college graduates are "college stupid". An obvious contradiction in terms and oxymoron.

Here now, today,decades later, we hear things spoken aloud, like, "Fake News". A natural extension of all that animosity toward knowledge. And ever more so, those who actually buy wholeheartedly into it, and believe it, with a degree of glee, some of them.

They now have a US president in Donald Trump, a failed TV reality star and businessman, a self proclaimed "King of debt" (a warning sign for one who wishes to be POTUS, President of the United States), who perpetuates that mindset. A man who relies on it, who avoids responsibilities and honesty through it, in order to free himself up to achieve even further power, while diluting our democracy all for the purposes of more wealth and autonomy to fo even further. This does not bode well for the future of the presidency in America.

There is even an entire news network in Fox News who are dedicated to it. Russia has also pushed it. They developed the covert paradigm of REAL fake news as disinformation. Using their word for it, dezinformatsiya. Which took the UK to teach American intelligence agencies about during WWII. We're new to it. But eventually it seeped into our right wing political party and they have now made it mainstream. Much to our, all of our, detriment.

Donald Trump supports it. As does the conservative right-wing. Their, "MSM", Fox News, their mainstream media, their Trump State TV, also supports it. Fox News has become the American version of Russian Pravda newspaper, or Sputnik or RT (Russian TV), all State branches of the Russian government, the Kremlin, all run remotely by Vladimir Putin.

In dealing with Russia over the years, their criminality has seeped into America. The Soviet Union was massively corrupt. Russia today is also. They have fake democracy. Putin is situating himself as President for life now. The Russian government, their intelligence services, the Russian mafia and crime syndicates, are all dynamically joined. But America remains ignorant of it all. Even while our intelligence agencies try to warn us. And our POTUS denies it, trusts Putin over our own intelligence people.

There is really no way to avoid it. Trump has had massive dealings with Russian in business, in enriching himself.

But his supporters are incapable of seeing it. The harden themselves against believing it.

It's amazing really. Truly amazing.

We have a subculture who have bought into this old Chinese belief during their "Cultural Revolution" that had set THEM back 50 years. They murdered their intellectuals, their scientists, their doctors.

The Chinese Comrades looked down on their educated because most of them were not. And because it served the purpose of their new Communist Party. When all it really serviced was those in power. The ignorant are far easier to manipulate. To control. To abuse.

And here we are today, in America. We elevate not the old, not the wise, but the young. We elevate not the intellectual but in many cases the very dumbest among us. Those who know how to pander, to divide, to separate and weaken for their own strength.

And so we see...Donald Trump as POTUS. Finally now, during a global pandemic everyone is beginning to see his weakness, his ignorance and how he has gathered his power. Trump's lies now, kill. And it is becoming quite clear to all.

To be sure, we need to be "America Strong".But strong should no longer also mean dumb. Or uneducated. Selectively ignorant. Stupid.

We now need no longer to be, "America the Stupid".

Because in the end? All our lives depend upon it.

Corporate Thinking Disease, Syndrome, Disorder

Many, many, years ago America found out that intersection stop lights are not installed or changed until three death situations were recorded. Three separate accidents where deaths occurred.

At that time, we all became complicit in the "corporate thinking" models that had invaded America and most of the world through capitalist thinking..

It has invaded our schools, our government, our consideration of the 2nd Amendment, our religion, our communities, our clubs, and our homes. And our children's way of thinking, for generations now.

So that today we are so inundated with it. Where no one even sees what the problem is anymore. We are just astounded, shocked, that things are as they are in common practice. With apparently no idea what is going on. Because it has become so inherent in who we are.

We don't see how to fix most of what is wrong today. Because we are standing on a carpet of complicity and our politicians and our corporate leaders lean into it furthering our ignorance and satiation and our desire to not be responsible for any of it.

We are. And we can fix it.

WE just have to see where the problem began and know that we have to go through the pain of changing something that is now woven into the fabric of nearly everything involved in our daily lives, in our government, in our religious institutions, and in our choices.

But they are OUR choices.

What is the point? The point is that we seem incapable of proactivity.

Rather than looking at a situation, seeing it's flawed and doing something before there are deaths (or destruction of various kinds), we have got to instead wait until there are deaths or destruction (i.e., Donald Trump as POTUS, NRA such as we allowed it to become, or the current defective and destructive GOP in its current mode of failed political party and paradigm), before we ever act.

That is the mainstay of our problems today. We have got to find a way to become more aware, more intelligent and stop praising and supporting the most stupid of us and our most foolish considerations.

Greed, is not brilliance. It is Greed pure and simple.

Ignorance is not ignorance anymore, but stupidity.

Especially when, as Eric Idle put it, "It is artificial ignorance."

It is time we see how ignorant we are and why. It is time to see corporate thinking as the burden that has been placed upon us by those wishing to enrichen themselves. Even at anyone else's costs.

It is time to see that capitalism has become a disease, a syndrome, a social and mental disorder that is woven into the fabric of our nation and our daily lives.

And it is time to make changes. if we follow the current Republican party we continue on this path.

116th Congress

However, we see today in the changes in the Democratic party, with young and diverse voices, more closely adhering to the makeup of our nation today, a potential for change, and something we've been lacking for some time.

Hope.

We now need to pile on top of this something else that is extremely important and dangerous to ignore.

We need to realize how close we are to barbarity, how recent our evolution has been to our modern, hard fought for society today.

How precious and delicate our democracy is. And how quickly it has been slipping away.

How quickly we can revert to old and ignorant beliefs.

Remember the story of the Handmaid's Tale. In that story, only things that humans have done before to humans has been used.

In Iran. "Iranian women are oppressed and they always have been. There was a period where they were liberated and stopped from wearing the veil, during the Pahlavi dynasty from 1925 to 1979." The Telegraph (2015)

One day in 1979 women were wearing miniskirts and the very next day they were forced to wear full body length black Burqas and hijabs. Under penalty of law.

How would you like that... tomorrow? That is what some conservatives are asking, for women to be treated to restrictions they are no longer familiar with or desire, or require.

We need to realize how directed the Republican party is to going back to the way things where when America was great, apparently, in their mind. One might argue, tiny minds.

The GOP even now has a president in Donald Trump who gets cheers when he calls out that he wants to "Make America Great, Again! "

What he is saying, what you are cheering for, is not what many of you think, and yet exactly what many of you think!

Things That American Women Could Not Do Before the 1970s:

1. Keep her job if she was pregnant.1978
2. Report cases of sexual harassment in the workplace.
The first time that a court recognized sexual harassment in the workplace was in 1977 and it wasn’t until 1980 that sexual harassment was officially defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

3. Be acknowledged in the Boston Marathon.1972
4. Get a credit card.1974
5. Refuse to have sex with her husband.1993
6. Compete as a boxer in the Olympics.2012
7. Get a divorce with some degree of ease.1969
8. Celebrate International Women’s Day.1980
9. Have a legal abortion in most states.1973

Make America Great, Again?

Start with correcting corporate thought all through our culture and government, social and religious institutions. 

Bottom line is...treat one another with more concern for humane treatment, than corporate or individual profit, and certainly, at any or all costs. 

I Am Not Anti ANY Americans, However....

I say this every so often and now in the face of apparently partisan and ill mental health bombings and mass shootings, it really seems a good time to repeat it.

Conservative or Republican, I am not against any Americans (or those of other nations and where I am it's usually their government, not citizens).

I have only recently voted Democrat because of #Republican illiberal abuse of our elections and government... bordering on if not at times surpassing being criminal. Their actions have damaged America, unbalanced us and today you see the results.

Usually, I've been as independent as I can be, not wishing either to align with independents for various reasons. My family whom I grew up with was Democrat and Union.

What I am against is conservatism as currently practiced in America. It's not historical conservatism at all. It's a bastardized form, frequently disgusting to well-educated people who haven't been educated in a modern American conservative bubble.

Regardless of how you perceive conservatism, especially if you consider yourself one, it IS what is practiced and how it is applied in Congress and SCOTUS. What we see, it supports old style, anachronistic beliefs.

Today the 45th President Donald Trump came out to say we need to use the death penalty on people like the Pittsburgh Synogague shooter. We do not need the State murdering citizens. Issues on abortion, prisons, the economy and trickle down economics as defective agendas...are failed, incorrect and downright wrong. Conservatives continue to take the wrong direction time and again.

I AM against people who are abusive to others. Speak, don't hit. Vote, don't kill. Get involved in politics if you're that passionate. We need you. On both sides, because that's where balance is.

Love the sinner not the sin, essentially in my post-Catholic upbringing, pro-Buddha Dharma mentality. No, I don't even follow common Buddhism, but an originalist form as I have discovered it.

Conservatism is a retrograde form of political thought.

You always have to move forward in a changing world. To maintain a (frequently defective or broken) status quo is counterproductive. Conservatism is not a form to be adhered to as a primary principle. As a governing factor of a political principle (conservative Republican, Conservative Democrat), sure. But to claim to be "conservative" is to cut oneself off at the knees to be able to see clearly what is really needed. Add partisanship and here we are.

Same in a way for a progressive or liberal. But not as much a serious concern as the conservative form by a long shot, as it can lead to thinking as we see now. Isolationism. Or abuse of others we have no right to abuse. Or kill. it is too akin to the religion it spawned from it. both being severely problematic in government and diverse social concerns. The Christian evangelical movement has also been culpable in all this. Evangelicalism itself has been acquired by politicians to subvert and pollute our government.

Prime example is the defectiveness inherent within it...it leads to a Domad #Trump (I should say, Donald $Trump, but that doesn't carry as far, albeit it's far more accurate).

So... we are all Americans who are American. We NEED to disagree, then to moderate, to compromise. Republicans want only their point of view because apparently, God is on their side. That is backed up by their actions in Gerrymandering, in abusing our electoral system, in voter suppression, in too many underhanded undemocratic actions.

One can (easily) see just how ridiculous that all is. If we just look.